Weekend Activities: Four Compelling Reasons You Should Still Watch Movies in the Theater

"The only reason why we ask other people how their weekend was is so we can tell them about our own weekend" –Chuck Palahniuk

In the age of streaming services and applications, it is indeed a wonder why quite a lot of people would still prefer to watch movies in the theater. Despite the plethora of on-demand options conveniently at your disposal, a trip to the cinema is always worth the effort and not just out of sheer novelty either.

Indeed, in this time and age where streaming services seem like the more practical and feasible option to get our slice of entertainment, cinemas should have been rendered obsolete—a thing of the past. And yet here we are, peppered weekly with Ayala Malls Movie schedules, Movies in Greenbelt and even current movies in Makati being advertised in applications and newspapers. Instead of dying out, it seems like the theaters and the cinemas are thriving and they are ever as robust despite having a significant price hike on movie tickets. Why? Well, just because there are some experiences that you can only ever get within the walls of your local cinema.

Sure, there might be a myriad of ways to watch films without setting foot inside a movie theater (most of them legal, mind you) and the novelty of watching movies in theaters might never beat a Netflix subscription, the fact remains that the cinema or the theater has not lost its magic. Indeed, there are only a handful of ways wherein a makeshift home theater can emulate the kind of experience you have in movies, and that is a good enough reason to watch cinemas. Given that there are also a handful of bad experiences that might deter you from stepping in a cinema ever again, there are still compelling reasons why it is still worth watching movies in cinemas. Here are just some of them:

Avoid spoilers and be part of the conversation

Let us be realistic here and attest to the fact that spoilers are always present whenever a blockbuster movie opens. With social media being the constant and consistent medium of communication among many individuals, people would soon get word of what happens in a particular film before even seeing it. More importantly, as social media is a tool that allows users to communicate their thoughts to a broader audience, some netizens would inadvertently read these spoilers regardless of how meticulous they have screened their posts. Incidentally, if you opted to wait for a particular movie to air only on the streaming service then hearing spoilers is inevitable. If you wish to be in-the-know of the latest films without reading them through spoilers, then consume movies in a timely fashion. This process means you have to see them in theaters. Here are some of the ways you can avoid spoilers.

Movie Food

Granted that you can munch on movie snacks in your kitchen or even on your sofa while you are watching a movie, nothing quite compares to snacking on a tub of popcorn while anticipating your film. There is an absolute joy in loading up your movie snacks, beverages and maybe even some candy when you are at a movie theater that cannot be emulated by your home entertainment room. There are some people whose primary motivation for watching movies is getting to eat their favorite movie snacks. That, in itself, is pretty convincing.

Your home theater is good (but not that good)

Regardless of how much you spent on your home entertainment system or whether you have a 90-inch 3D TV with surround sound speakers, all of that would still not compare to the kind of experience you will get at a movie theater. As said above, there are just some cinema experiences that you cannot replicate no matter how hard you try. Certain scenes are made to be viewed in theater or viewed best in them. Scenes such as the ones in Gravity or that particular scene wherein Dwayne Johnson makes a jump in Skyscraper is seen best in a large screen. And let us face it; you really could not fit that kind of television screen in your homes. So, you might as well watch movies the way they are meant to be viewed: in theaters.

Support movies that you love

The movie industry is a business, and of course, it needs to make enough profit for future movie ventures. In this regard, only movies that do well will get sequels or get similarly made. After all, films are made based on what does well at the box office. In this regard, you can cast your vote with dollars and let them know that the movies you watched are the movies you like. If a film does not do well, then you will never see another iteration of it sometime soon regardless of how much you love it. Support the types of movies you love, and maybe you will see more of the same get made.  

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Shop and Save: Four Ingenious Ways to Save on Your Grocery Expenses

“Groceries became a revelation: the people coming out with food. It is all like a great ceremony, and the whole drudgery of shopping has become my inspiration.”-Corita Kent

Groceries take up a significant chunk of our monthly expenses and with the rising cost of shopping goods today, that expense will inevitably increase.

Unfortunately, if you are constrained to a strict monthly budget or if the results of the inflation rate are getting to you, it can be rather difficult to fill your grocery cart with all of your shopping needs. However, when the rising cost of groceries becomes a rather pressing problem, you need to understand the difference between the items that are absolutely necessary and the ones that are considered luxury. Furthermore, you would also need to rethink your spending and budgeting habits insomuch that you do not live from paycheck to paycheck and allocate enough of what you earn for savings.

In any case, one of the best avenues for having a better leverage on your finances is to manage your grocery expenses and give your grocery shopping a strategic approach. In any case, if you have been looking for ways to mitigate your grocery expenses, here are some of the ingenious tips you can keep in mind before you visit the supermarket aisles in Ayala CenterMakati or your preferred grocer:

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            1.)    Take advantage of sales

An excellent way to save money on grocery expenses is to take advantage of discount items. More often than not, the grocery would have a few items that would be marked down per week so be sure to include those instead of going for the full-priced ones. However, be sure that these are items that you would use almost immediately or at least within the week. More often than not, items would be marked down because they need to be disposed of immediately. Alternatively, you can shop during a grocery sale and stock up on items you know you would be using quite often. Meat can be stored up until three months in the freezer and would still be safe to use. Other items such as dish-washing liquid, detergents and other products would have a longer shelf life. In this regard, you might be able to stock up more on those items. Be sure to be a little meticulous about the amount of produce you buy. Remember, vegetables have a short shelf life so be sure that anything you shop, you can consume within the week.

      2.)    Have a price book

A price book is generally a listing of all comparable grocery products across all nearby grocery shopping centers with their corresponding prices. You can create this yourself by listing down the price of the goods you have shopped for in one particular grocery shop and then compare it with the others should that you would know which store sells the cheapest grocery items. Similarly, you can track sales patters so that you would know when the best time to stock up on a particular item is. Keeping tabs on sales and listing down prices would enable you to determine how much you can potentially save and how much you really are saving every single time you do your grocery shopping. Furthermore, it helps you make better choices as to which grocery shop you should patronize.

      3.)    Have a list when doing groceries

This should go without saying, but you should never go grocery shopping without a list. Having a list keeps you from putting grocery items into your cart arbitrarily. Moreover, it helps you from making return trips to the grocery store because you have forgotten to buy an item. In this regard, you should create a list of household items you would need to shop for. Buy everything that you have listed on it and stick to it. Anything that is not written in the list should not be included. Having this list would not only save you money, it would save you time as well.

      4.)    Plan your menus

Planning your menus gives you an idea of what grocery items you are going to need for the week instead of just randomly putting shopping goods into your cart. With this in mind, plan your menus a week or even a month in advance so that you would know which items to stock up and take advantage of bulk buying opportunities. Similarly, planning menus for the week would prevent you from eating out too much. To save time, you can cook your main dishes in a single day and reheat them as the week progresses which can be very helpful on days wherein you do not have any time to cook or simply do not feel like cooking at all. However, if planning your menu is way too much of a hassle, you can always go online and look for similar sample menus.  

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Philippine Living: Four Reasons Why Filipinos Love Shopping

“We used to build civilizations. Now we build shopping malls.”-Bill Bryson

There has never been any doubt about the Filipinos love for their shopping malls. After all, who else has come up with the term “malling” other than the Filipino themselves?

With the myriad of shopping malls peppered across the country—each one promising to offer its
patrons something a little different than the last—these malls are hailed and recognized as cities of their own. A true testament to a Filipino’s unique obsession with shopping malls is not only hinged the fact that the Philippines has some of the world’s biggest shopping malls and districts (from SM Shopping Districts to Circuit Makati Mall), but also in the direct observation of how an average Filipino’s weekend seems to involve going to the mall for one reason or another.

But to what reason can we truly attribute this general fascination (and at times, fixation) to these cathedrals of consumerism? Why do Filipinos have a proclivity for spending their downtime at the mall more than any other place? Is it because of their incessant penchant to shop? Or because they wish to emulate their western neighbors in their love and flair for shopping? Well, while shopping malls are not as revered and celebrated in western countries as they are in the Philippines, these western countries do not exactly have humid weather all year long which would constrain its locals to stay indoors. In this regard, Filipinos have grown to love their shopping malls insomuch that they can even spend the entire day in there. Apart from the temperature controlled environment, malls also serve as a social outlet as they are likely to bump into people they know there (because again, everyone seems to love the mall!). The Philippines is known for its hot weather, and in metropolitan cities such as Manila, you would be hard-pressed for activities to do either because it is blazing hot or raining hard outside. Furthermore, you can do pretty much anything and everything in Philippine shopping malls whether that may be trying out to ice-skate, bowl or catching a late night flick. Although having shopping malls in almost every nook and cranny in the city might be taken as a sign of progress, it could also mean the gradual decline of cultural centers such as museums—so having a string of them might not be so good after all.

So, why does an average Filipino love the mall so much? And how have this corrugated structures become a highlight to their weekends? Well, the reasons below might enlighten you as to why:

1.) Ease of convenience

Back in the day, a trip to the mall would involve packing everyone into the car and be driving to it. However, with a myriad of malls peppered across the country, it might be easier and far more convenient to walk instead of taking the car. Moreover, as most malls are now strategically placed near condos and offices, they are made even more accessible to everyone.

2.) They have it all in one roof

Shopping malls go above and beyond to ensure that they provide the best experience to their shoppers possible. In this regard, they are more than just your ordinary shopping mall, and you can, in fact, do everything you wish and need to in one mall—given that it provides all the services and activities you are looking for. Today, most shopping malls have partnered up with local government agencies such as LTO and Philhealth rendering the mall as a one-stop place for everything you might need.

3.) Experience mini-concerts

Apart from yearly sales and events, malls entice people to favor their malls the best by hosting free roadshows, events, and even mini-concerts. To ensure an influx of people and potential customers  would be coming in, they would often invite esteemed individuals and even musicians and celebrities who you can get to see for free! It mutually benefits the invited guest, and the mall as the guest might be promoting something while the mall can expect hordes upon hordes of fans and possibly potential shoppers who wish to take a glimpse of their esteemed invited guest.

4.) Attend mass

The Philippines is a devoutly Catholic country, and as a result, many of the locals are deeply religious. To ensure that the shopping mall would be a guaranteed destination for religious individuals, malls have scheduled masses on Sundays with hourly intervals—depending on the mall. Some malls would even hold novenas and First Friday masses. In this regard, families who wish to spend their mornings in worship would not need to go to two destinations and just spend their day in one place. After the mass, they can easily attend a movie or eat at their favorite restaurant which would be located in the general vicinity.


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Shop Smarter: Five Ingenious Tips to Keep in Mind during Mall Sales

“Admit it, we all feel cool when we walk around the mall with tons of shopping bags in our arms.”-
Author Unknown

Sale (n.) a fashionista’s favorite four letter word.

Shopping malls have been around for years. In some countries, they are regarded as little more than simply cathedrals of consumerism. In the Philippines however, these structures are viewed as more than the answer to our retail needs. For some, it has become somewhat like a second home. Malls in the Philippines such as the Circuit Makati Mall and the like come with various attractions such as cinemas, restaurants, nightclubs, bars and even activity and entertainment centers. In this regard, mall developers hope to generate more revenue by appealing to a wider variety of individuals.

However, there has never been any doubt that one of the tried and tested methods to have people patronize and purchase products from a particular mall is to conduct a mall-wide sale. Indeed, whenever a sale happens, you can expect a crowd of shoppers and patrons to arrive by the droves. This influx of shoppers is mainly precipitated by bargain deals. In this regard, some malls can expect shoppers to arrive even before opening hours. If you wish to shop on a projected sale one of these months, know that it takes so much more than just arriving at the mall on time to get the best bargains and deals. If you wish to make the most out of your shopping excursion, here are some of the tips to keep in mind:

1.) Do your research

Before you start planning what to buy, it is highly recommended that you do your research before the actual day of the sale itself. Note that many brands would be participating during the sale and your research would help you identify what these brands would be. Furthermore, some brands might be a little detailed as to the terms of their sale such as which items would be included and whether or not there would be promo deals. If you did your research beforehand, you would effectively be able to narrow down your options and make the most out of your time shopping.

2.) List it down

One of the excellent ways to shop and ensure you stay within your budget is to shop with a list. Make this list beforehand so that you can mitigate the possibility of impulse shopping. In this regard, you would also be able to delineate your reasons for buying a particular item. Sure, an item you are looking to buy might be on sale, but do you really need it? Or are you just buying it because it is half off? Making a list will help you be smarter about what you put into your cart during sale day. Prepare this list beforehand, note down all the items you wish and need to buy and prioritize them.

3.) Arrive early

One of the most annoying things about shopping during mall sales is having to contend with long queues. That and looking for an available parking space once you arrive at the mall. To address this, be sure to come early—if possible before opening hours. Apart from getting the best parking spot and not having to queue up, arriving early means you get first dibs on deals and items on sale. Whenever possible, try to arrive on the first day of the mall-wide sale and try to get there before opening hours.

4.) Take your time

No one is clocking you, so there is no need to be pressured about finishing up your shopping within a specified time limit. Take your time, peruse the aisles and look for the best deals. Do not immediately throw everything into your cart just because it has the world SALE plastered on it. Be as discerning about your purchases as you would be when they are not on sale. Remember, you are simply shopping which is not time-sensitive at all. So relax, and take your time. Just enjoy browsing racks and aisles and do not forget to hunt for the best bargain!

5.) Compare

Remember, the first item you pick up is not always the cheapest. However, that does not mean that the next item you will come by would also be the best. In this regard, be sure to look around and make some comparisons. You might think you have landed the best offer and deal now, but you might end up regretting that decision later when you find out that the next store sells the same item for much cheaper.

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